Are aftermarket modifications covered by my motorcycle insurance?

Answer

Your ride comes from the factory “Plain Jane” just begging to be dressed up in new chrome and leather accessories. Did you know that anything you add to your cycle needs to be added to your insurance policy?

Many times a bike comes into a dealership and they dress it up for display. A prospective buyer may just fall in love with that dressed up ride. The cycle is purchased, and insured. When that insurance policy is put in place the agent needs to know that the cycle has NON-FACTORY INSTALLED parts and equipment on it. This includes custom paint jobs. For example if the paint job is a numbered set from Harley-Davidson it needs to be added to your policy under the accessories coverage.

A motorcycle policy may automatically provide limited coverage for these add-ons. However, this may not be enough to cover all of the additions. It is your responsibility as the policy holder to notify your insurance agent or company of your upgrades, and to add coverage to your policy. I recommend that every cycle owner keep a file that includes receipts for their upgrades, and with each change to the cycle a good set of color photographs showing the newly installed upgrades. This will make it possible for an insurance adjuster to get their job done efficiently and get you back on the road quickly. If you alter the frame of your motorcycle this may change how the cycle is registered, which will require a specialized policy.

Leslie Kay
LeslieKays.com

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For calendar year 2011, the National Insurance Crime Bureau tracked a number of statistics regarding motorcycle theft, including the top 10 stolen brands and the top 10 states for theft. Those lists can be found elsewhere on this site. Here, we list the top 10 months for motorcycle theft based on the NICB findings. In ascending order, they are:

Recently, we published a story on the least expensive motorcycles to insure. In it, the bikes were broken down by category, knowing that consumers aren’t interested in a list entirely of small-displacement beginner bikes. We also kept the list to current models (2013 in this case) available in the United States.
This time we’re going the other direction. Here we have the Top Ten most expensive motorcycles to insure. Yes, we could have listed ten uber-expensive and super-rare motorcycles which cost a fortune to insure, but in the name of practicality this list is comprised of mass produced 2013 models the majority of folks can actually buy.
Again, we averaged quotes from different insurance providers to come up with our rankings. Our fictitious rider is a 30 year-old male, licensed for ten years, with a clean record living in Los Angeles. As always, shop around with your own and other insurance providers to get rate quotes tailored for you and your situation.

Where you live is one of the most important factors insurance companies use in determining your premium. Why? As with age, experience, the type of bike you ride and every other factor considered in computing your rate, where you live comes into the equation for one simple reason: risk.
Statistics show that some areas have higher crime rates than others. So if a higher crime rate equals a higher risk of damage to or loss of your property, it will cost you more to insure anything you own. And that includes your motorcycle. If your motorcycle resides in a location where statistics prove it’s at a greater risk for damage or theft, insurance companies are going to want you to pay a higher premium for coverage.
Overall, 2011 saw 46,667 motorcycle thefts in the US (including Puerto Rico and Washington D.C.), according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Interestingly, that number is down 6% from the prior year – welcome news, as the Motorcycle Industry Council says total motorcycle sales are on the rise, albeit slightly (0.3%).
The list below shows the Top 10 states with the highest rate of motorcycle theft in 2011 (Total number of thefts and most targeted brand in parentheses). Worth noting: these 10 states accounted for 25,983 thefts in 2011 – fully 56% of the total. If you’re trying to insure a bike in one of these states, expect to pay more. Still, experts say things like keeping your motorcycle garaged and hooking up a recovery system such as LoJack will have a positive effect on your premium.

Motorcycle insurance is a slippery subject. With so many options for coverage, it’s hard to keep track of every kind of policy. However, if you live in the States you gotta have at least bodily injury and property damage liability coverage before legally operating your motorcycle. But getting insurance doesn’t have to break the bank.

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